Spotting a cockroach in your home is never pleasant; finding multiple is even more disturbing. When you find cockroaches in your home, it’s easy to feel like you’ve messed up or like your home is dirty. This is rarely the case. Any home can become infested with roaches.
Beyond being unsightly, cockroaches can carry diseases, like Salmonella and E. coli, potentially contaminating your food and posing serious health risks. These insects are extremely resilient and notoriously hard to get rid of. That’s why our pest management expert in Roswell compiled a list of steps to help you understand what to do when cockroaches invade your home.
Signs of a Cockroach Infestation in Your Home
First, it’s important to know the signs of a cockroach infestation to help you understand the extent of the problem. The first and most obvious sign is live or dead roaches. While finding one cockroach isn’t usually a cause for concern, spotting multiple is often a sign of an infestation. Other signs include:
- Droppings
- Eggs
- Shed skins
- Musty odor
- Noticeable damage to cardboard, paper, and food packaging
What Attracts Cockroaches Indoors
Knowing what attracts cockroaches is a crucial first step in eliminating them and preventing the infestation from spreading. Much like many other pests, cockroaches are usually in search of food, water, shelter and warmth. A place that offers a few or all of these essentials is likely the place cockroaches will choose. It’s important to make sure that your home is not one of these places.
Store Food in Airtight Containers
In their search for food, cockroaches are relentless. They are known to chew through food packaging, especially if food is packaged in cardboard or plastic bags. They can even squeeze through the tiniest spaces between food containers and lids if they’re not sealed properly. When you’re dealing with a cockroach problem, make sure you’re not enticing them to stay by giving them easy access to your food. Always store leftovers in airtight containers, and make sure they’re tightly sealed. Never leave leftover food out, and avoid leaving dishes with food remnants in the sink for long periods.
Manage Trash to Prevent Roaches
Along with eating our leftovers, cockroaches can find plenty of food sources in our trash. Even something as minuscule as food crumbs or sticky spills near the garbage bin can make the perfect meal. That’s why it’s important to avoid letting trash pile up and take it out regularly. Ensure your trash can is always covered with a tight-fitting lid, and regularly wipe it down to keep it clean. Cockroaches aren’t picky about what they eat, so don’t give them any opportunities to find food.
Declutter and Eliminate Hiding Spots
Because cockroaches are attracted to clutter, people believe that having these insects in their home means they’re messy or dirty. This is far from the truth. Finding cockroaches doesn’t mean your home is messy, but it may mean you have a lot of cardboard boxes or other forgotten items in a storage area.
Cockroaches like dark, undisturbed areas, and cluttered spaces like quiet storage rooms, garages, attics and basements are often their first choice. Keep your home clear of clutter like cardboard boxes, piles of laundry or stacks of papers and books to avoid providing hiding places for cockroaches.
Reduce Moisture and Fix Leaks
Cockroaches thrive in damp environments, meaning they’re particularly drawn to areas with high moisture levels. In your home, you may find roaches in bathrooms, crawl spaces, basements and kitchens due to the high humidity in these rooms. Reduce moisture in your home by fixing leaks, using dehumidifiers or moisture absorbers, and ensuring proper ventilation in every room.
Seal Cracks and Entry Points
When you’re dealing with a cockroach problem, ensuring that more can’t enter your home is crucial for controlling the infestation. Inspect your home for small entry points, like cracks and gaps, where cockroaches can enter. They squeeze through openings as small as 1/16 of an inch, so make sure to close even the tiniest openings. Use caulk to seal cracks, gaps and holes around windows, pipes and your home’s foundation. Install door sweeps to prevent roaches from slipping in through gaps beneath doors, and place screens over vents.
Use Roach Bait Stations, Traps, and Sprays
Along with general maintenance around your home, you can use more targeted treatments to remove cockroaches, including:
Bait stations: Cockroaches carry poison back to their nests, helping control the infestation at its source.
Sticky traps: Roaches get stuck in a strong, non-toxic adhesive, preventing them from moving. This can help you identify the extent of an infestation.
Roach sprays: Kill roaches on contact. Spray in corners and crevices where roaches hide.
Call the Professionals at Nextgen Pest Solutions
Like any other type of infestation, the only true way of eradicating a cockroach infestation is to call a professional pest control company. At Nextgen Pest Solutions, we don’t just spray your home; we conduct a thorough inspection to identify the extent of the infestation, locate nesting sites and find possible entry points. Then, we use targeted treatments to address the infestation and implement exclusion techniques to prevent it from returning.
With over 20 years in the industry, the Palm Beach pest control experts at Nextgen Pest Solutions have the experience, knowledge and specialized training to effectively get rid of cockroaches and protect your home against future infestations. Our commitment to quality, customer service and the environment around your home is what makes us stand out. Contact us today for a free quote!
Frequently Asked Questions About Cockroach Infestations
1. What causes a sudden cockroach infestation in a clean house?
Even spotless homes can attract cockroaches if they find access to food, water, or shelter. Leaky pipes, pet food, or crumbs under appliances are common culprits.
2. Where do cockroaches hide during the day?
Cockroaches usually hide in dark, moist, and undisturbed areas such as under sinks, behind refrigerators, inside cabinets, and within wall cracks or crevices.
3. How long does it take to get rid of a cockroach infestation?
Depending on the severity, DIY methods may take several weeks, but professional pest control can often eliminate infestations within days using targeted treatments.
4. Can cockroaches come back after treatment?
Yes, if entry points aren’t sealed or sanitation isn’t maintained, roaches can return. A professional pest control plan with ongoing prevention helps ensure long-term results.
